HOSPITALS could be forced to move to seven-day working weeks to give patients the same quality of service at the weekend as they get in the week.

Revolutionary plans to be unveiled tomorrow would see the NHS provide routine surgery and scans and other appointments on Saturdays and Sundays.

GPs will also be expected to open surgeries for appointments rather than leaving patients to wait or use out-of-hours services.

The changes are being masterminded by Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director of the new NHS Commissioning Board, which decides how funds are spent.

Sir Bruce said it was no longer acceptable to have a service operating for the convenience of doctors and NHS staff at the expense of patients.

He added that it also had to learn from private-sector companies such as Tesco.

He said: “Our system has been based around providing as good a working environment as you can for the people who work in the Health Service, which isn’t necessarily matched with what the people who want services have.

“If you wanted a day-case operation, and you didn’t want to take a day off work, why can’t you have it on a Saturday or Sunday?”

“If you are an elderly person who struggles to get to the hospital, why does your niece, nephew, son or daughter have to take a day or a half day off work to take you to and from the hospital for the convenience of the people who are running it?”

Sir Bruce said weekend closures of theatres and clinics were a waste of NHS resources.

Why can’t you have it on a Saturday or Sunday?

Bruce Keogh

Poorer staffing at weekends has been blamed for higher death rates than during the week. A patient admitted on a Sunday is 16 per cent more likely to die than if admitted on a Wednesday.

But doctors say patients who use weekend services might be more likely to be seriously ill in the first place.

The British Medical Association called for a flexible approach.

“There are some clinics that are already providing for a weekend service,” said a spokeswoman.

“The NHS is not Tesco. Dealing with people’s health is far more complex than selling boxes of cornflakes or other products,” she added.

“We have been discussing this for some time. As doctors, of course we want to improve services we offer patients but there has to be investment in resources that underpin that.”